Healer question on Reddit sub was a mistake

[Renathras]

So, I recently came back to the game and decided that, even though I'm almost exclusively playing to get through the story content, I wanted to stick strictly to a healer role. I have a WHM almost to lvl 50 and was just asking if that particular healer job was worth holding onto or if If a different healer job was better for focusing on solo content.

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So, I figure I'll ask the same thing here. Other healer players: Which healer job do you prefer for solo content? Is one better than the others or are they all about the same? Thanks in advance.

People forget not everyone likes the same things and so think everyone thinks like they do. There are a lot of...less happy...people, for various reasons, that are down on healers right now and will be for the foreseeable future. Some think you are like them and want to spare you the heartache. Others are in the "misery loves company" camp and want you to be as miserable with healing as they are. And there are probably as many other types out there as there are groups of people.

Here's my take:

I love healing and am pretty meh on DPS (I do it since it makes sense not to sit on my hands when my party doesn't need healing, but I'd rather keep it simple), so I actually enjoy all the healing Jobs other than AST, since it's a bit busy. They can all do all the solo content in the game, all clear the MSQ, etc. Here are the pros and cons of each:

WHM: Straightforward and powerful heals, straightforward and (for healers) strong damage. WHM has no party damage buffs and so is a "selfish DPS" (insomuch as its damage kit goes), meaning its damage attacks do higher damage than the equivalent on, say, AST. Its straightforward nature makes it easy to pick up and play with, and pretty much all of its kit is easy to understand and use with nothing to really trip you up. It sometimes feels like it's missing something (like a second party mitigation...), but this is mostly due to its niche as powerful direct healer, which it does very well.

SCH: One of the more complex healers, but what it pays for in complexity it makes up for in versatility. SCH is probably the most powerful healer in the game. Its kit can have a little clunk to it (e.g. using Dissipation sending your Faerie away so you can't use any of her healing abilities until she comes back), but if you're playing at a lower skill level, that doesn't matter too much and you have plenty of neat tools to use as an answer to anything the game throws at you. A bonus is that SCH and SMN have the same base CLASS, Arcanist. What this means is that as you gain levels in EITHER ONE, you get the other one to level for free alongside it. Every other Job either comes from a class it doesn't share (like WHM from CNJ) or came after they stopped making Classes (AST and SGE), but SCH is unique in the entire game for getting a second Job "for free" without you having to level it separately. SCH also has a higher skill ceiling if you want to up your game, and I think has the most varied damage kit as far as that's concerned since they have a DoT, their direct damage spell, an instant cast direct damage for movement that has no CD (can be used anytime unlike SGE's), and Energy Drain using Aetherflow if you don't need it for healing and want some extra chip damage to throw out. Your Faerie is also pretty good about keeping you alive in solo stuff with you only needing to heal yourself a bit, so that can keep you from accidentally dying to stuff.

AST: Probably the hardest healer right now with the biggest focus on utility and party buffs. The main issue is a lot of buttons/button bloat (which SCH also has) but also trying to draw and play your buff cards on party members (that you must target to apply them) while doing all the other stuff you want to do in combat like heal or deal damage. And when it comes to soloing, because it's balanced around buffing its party members (increasing total party damage), it has lower personal damage than the other healers, so it can take a bit longer to kill things in solo fights/duties. Note that AST starts at level 30 and requires you to be at least level 50 and to Ishgard in the MSQ to pick it up. So if you want to start with a healer right away, you can't with AST (or SGE)

SGE: The newest healer, starting at level 70, requiring you to have a battle class to level 70 and the Endwalker expansion to pick up. SGE is probably the most complex healer to pick up since it's based a LOT more about CD use and shielding/damage % reduction abilities to smooth damage the party takes, and so doesn't have as many direct and powerful shields as any of the other healers. It's probably the hardest to learn to play well, though once you're experienced as a healer, you'll find it's less outright complex than SCH or AST. It's like a simplified SCH without quite all the tools, which can make it harder to learn but easier to play once you've learned it...depending on the person - some people find SCH easier. In solo play, you can place Kardia on yourself then just damage the bosses to death since your Kardia will heal you up just like SCH's Faerie would.

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So I think it depends on what YOU like.

If you like WHM right now, you'll probably keep liking WHM, so keep playing it. If you don't, SCH is a good choice since it also starts at level 1, gets a free SMN beside it, and is generally enjoyable to play if you want a little more complexity. You can pick up AST once you get to Ishgard (I see you're level 49?) and just try it out for fun. But it's a bit harder to play than WHM and more focused on party stuff. SGE is a ways off since you need level 70 to unlock it, so you can try it out when you get there but don't need to worry about it right now.

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Hope that helps!

[IDontPetLalas]

Complexity is quite relative.

For example, if someone has played SCH, they likely would not find SGE to be complex (I don't) and fun to play. I would not classify AST as complex, however playing AST optimally is another matter, becoming the "best" AST is a real challenge.

Interestingly, although I started out on SCH, I find it one of the more challenging healers, it's completely a matter of personal taste but it is an extremely effective and versatile healer.

Finally, WHM is a great go-to healer for specific cases, I would agree that most people find it easy to start with.

[Carbon-based_Lifeform]

So, I recently came back to the game and decided that, even though I'm almost exclusively playing to get through the story content, I wanted to stick strictly to a healer role. I have a WHM almost to lvl 50 and was just asking if that particular healer job was worth holding onto or if If a different healer job was better for focusing on solo content.

What a huge mistake that was. The amount of people that couldn't remotely fathom that I want to stick to a healer job was ridiculous. I don't know what the thought process is for people when they read "Which is the best healer job for solo content" and then somehow the only thought they can come up with is "YoU ShoUlD sWItCh tO a dPs".

I'll admit that there were a few responses from people that were incredibly kind and helpful, but MOST of them were not.

So, I figure I'll ask the same thing here. Other healer players: Which healer job do you prefer for solo content? Is one better than the others or are they all about the same? Thanks in advance.

Hey man! I haven't read all the responses, but I'm gonna sum it up as I did exactly what you are looking for to do. I did all the MSQ as a solo healer.
I played as Scholar and it was pretty easy. I'm currently leveling Astrologian, and I know it would be pretty much the same. They are harder than White Mage to play, and because of that, a bit more fun for me. So just pick what you think it's better: straightfoward or complex. White Mage is the easiest healer, while Astrologian is the hardest; Scholar is second and Sage is third. in difficulty.
I have only one tip: keep doing roulettes as much as possible, so that your current level is always higher than the MSQ requires; this way, you'll always be doing things smoothly.
Have fun!